PM Shehbaz arrives in China amid push for investment

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in China on a five-day official visit on Tuesday with investment to be high on the agenda, ARY News reported.   

“PM Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Shenzhen, China on an official visit,” a statement from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. “Upon arrival he was welcomed by Vice Mayor of Shenzhen city of China Mr Luo Huanghao.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and other senior Ministers of the Cabinet are accompanying the Prime Minister in his first official visit to China since assuming office.

Shenzhen is the first stop during the Prime Minister’s official visit to China.

During his two-day stay in Shenzhen, the Prime Minister and his delegation will meet the leadership of the Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipal Government as well as leading Chinese companies in innovation and high-tech sectors.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Pakistan-China Business Conference in line with his vision to support, promote and lead collaboration between the businessmen of the two countries.

A business delegation of leading Pakistani businesspersons will attend the Conference for collaboration with the influential Chinese counterparts.

Shenzhen is the hub of China’s innovation, technology and research led companies and enterprises.

The visit to Shenzhen aims to bolster economic cooperation in export-oriented innovation-led advanced technologies, high-tech development and Information and Communication Technologies.

‘My China visit to take bilateral ties to a new height’

Before embarking on the trip, PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed the hope that his five-day visit to China would take the bilateral relationship to a new height as it would mark discussions on the CPEC second phase, business-to-business cooperation and government-to-government projects.

The prime minister, in a televised statement, said that with the support from the ministers, government officers and experts, they would hold talks with the Chinese leadership on multiple subjects with tireless efforts and sincerity of purpose.

He said both sides would discuss cooperation in multiple sectors like agriculture, information technology, infrastructure, youth skill training, vocational training, industrialisation, Special Economic Zones, expansion and commercialisation of Gwadar Port, mining, and minerals, and sign accords. The discussion on the expansion of the Silk Route through road and sea linkages is also on the agenda.

He also appreciated the Chinese unconditional support of Pakistan through all testing times like disasters, wars, quakes and others.

The prime minister spoke high of the dynamic and visionary leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping which developed China into the second biggest economic and military power besides leading the efforts to end wars and pave the way for peace.

Shehbaz Sharif also thanked China for continuously raising the voice for Kashmir freedom and supporting Kashmiris without any confusion.

Similarly, Pakistan also supported Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity like the principle of one-country two systems, Hong Kong, Taiwan which Pakistan calls an integral part of China, the South China Sea, Global Development Initiative (GDI), and the Global Security Initiative (GSI).